


Harmonies

by Littlegirlgeek



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged Up, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Four Year Time Skip, Hurt/Comfort, LadyNoir - Freeform, Luka Finds Out, Lukanette, M/M, Marichat, Multi, Pansexual Luka Couffaine, Polyamory, Post-Canon, lukadrien, lukadrienette
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:07:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25980331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlegirlgeek/pseuds/Littlegirlgeek
Summary: Luka may not be a superhero, but 4 years later, he still has an instinct to protect the people of Paris. It's not much, but he would modestly admit he's gotten pretty good at it.So when Chat Noir is bested alone, Luka finds himself face to face with a VERY uncomfortable Adrien Agreste.-"I can be nobody."-Four year time skip.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Luka Couffaine, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 12
Kudos: 76





	1. The One Where Luka Finds Out

**Author's Note:**

> Y'all need some TLC as much as I do?
> 
> This has been my comfort project on and off since 2020 started. I figured it was time to start sharing and see if it might comfort you, too.
> 
> Love a comment, love your faces, take care of yourself. Thanks for reading!
> 
> Geek.

Sometimes, the streets of Paris felt like fallout. Luka ducked under an archway, pulling a woman and her stroller along with him as the windows burst out of the adjacent building. The woman shrieked, deafening him as he knelt over her and her toddler. When the ground stopped shaking for a moment, he carefully shook the glass from his clothes, arms still bracketing them, and urged them down the street- There was an Akuma bunker in the Library around the corner.

An Akuma bunker. It was wild how Paris had changed in the past four years.

The woman thanked him until she had jogged around the corner with her baby in her arms, strolled abandoned. The sky shattered again and he could hear someone wailing in the distance under the din of fighting. Luka sighed, more from anticipation than exertion, and then shook himself loose and took off toward the sound.

He hadn’t been Viperion or seen Sass in over a year. He had spoken to Ladybug and Chat Noir a handful of times, sure, but no more than anyone else put in the line of fire every time the city was in danger. Still, despite the fact that he knew he wasn’t a hero- not like they were- he just couldn’t bring himself to hide with the rest of the Parisian people.

So he kept himself in shape, had alerts sent to his phone, and when the danger seemed too perilous, he would take it slow leaving the blast zone. Maybe he didn’t have formal training, but he had taken a first aid class since his very brief stint as a superhero, and that counted for something, right?

Today’s Akuma had some sort of sound-based shock wave, and it was putting Paris’ architecture to the test. He had been near the Louvre when the first blast rattled the city, and he had hardly gotten any further from the action since, following the wake of devastation any time he heard someone new cry out.

A flash of black streaked by overhead as he ran through an alley, gone as quick as it had appeared. Chat Noir had been ducking around the akuma, a massive screeching monster of a kid with what appeared to be a toy microphone-- aspiring rock star? Karaoke gone wrong?-- and it was clear that he was beginning to wear out. Luka hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Ladybug. He hoped the hair standing up on the back of his neck was just from the adrenaline. He skidded around the corner and followed the sound of terror to a nearby flower stall.

A man had ducked underneath the cart, only yards from the raging Akuma on the canal. Luka slid to a stop behind the display and placed a bracing hand on the man’s shoulder. His eyes shot open and he looked up at Luka in fear.

Luka swallowed the way his heart quickened and kept his voice even. “It’s not safe here,” he said firmly, giving the shoulder a squeeze as he glanced up through the flowers at the Akuma. “Chat Noir has it distracted for now, you need to run for the police station. Can you stand?”

The poor fellow quivered but nodded quickly. Luka offered a small encouraging smile and held him fast, leaning around the cart to get a better look. He squeezed the man’s shoulder and watched the action unfold, until Chat Noir sprang off of a nearby light post and right for the Akuma’s face. With a pull, Luka yelled, “Go!” and the man took off at a stumbling sprint toward the police station.

As he ran, Luka looked past the Akuma to search for other stragglers- just in time to see Chat Noir get batted out of the sky. Luka winced. As often as he had seen it happen, watched Paris’ heroes get thrown around like rag dolls, it never ceased to worry him. However briefly, he had been in their shoes; He knew it didn’t tickle. Whether or not their powers gave them the endurance and strength to bounce back, they still felt pain. And there was nothing fun about a 2 ton first grader stomping on you. Luka watched with his heart in his throat until the kid finally reeled back his foot and kicked a cluster of asphalt and Chat Noir across the canal. The cat-suited hero disappeared into an alley with a crash.

Luka hardly realized he was running until he heard the Akuma screaming behind him. A shock wave burst overhead, rumbling the neighborhood and nearly costing him his footing. He stumbled but kept his stride, and bolted into the alley that Chat Noir had tumbled into.

The recycling unit groaned and shuddered, threatening to collapse into the empty dent left by the crumbled man next to it. Chat Noir coughed and gasped for a breath, knelt over himself. He held his ribs as he faced the dead end of the alley. Luka rolled to a stop behind him, still covering his ears as the akuma continued to howl. Before he could call out to see if Chat Noir was okay, the hero muttered something Luka couldn’t make out- and then a flash of light, white then green- the hero turned and caught sight of him--

\--Just as his mask disappeared and the slits in his eyes rounded. Luka’s hands slipped to cover his mouth and muffle his own sound of surprise.

Knelt in front of him, in a dingy alley filled with cardboard and glass, was Adrien Agreste.

Adrien had broadened in the shoulders since they were kids- still lean, but with a new definition that lent itself to his modeling. His face maintained its youth and hadn’t quite caught up with the rest of him, leaving him looking much like the teen he had once been, if with a few sharper angles. Now, knelt in the alley, he looked as small and scared as Luka had ever seen him.

On the ground underneath Adrien was a little black Kwami, panting and unconscious. Adrien shook free of his shock and followed Luka’s eyes to the creature. With a start, he scooped it up and cradled it carefully, wincing as he pushed himself back onto his knees. There was panic behind his eyes that Luka could clearly see spreading like poison.

It wasn’t... the most shocking thing Luka had ever experienced, oddly enough. In fact, in the moment, while his adrenaline was still through the roof, Luka found himself abruptly making connections to sudden disappearances, flimsy excuses, nervous laughter. All things considered, Adrien was not the best at hiding his identity, and Luka knew from experience that half of the illusion that kept him safe was in the hands of his Kwami. But now the little deity was out of commission, weak and unsafe in Adrien’s trembling hands.

The latest rumbling shock wave dissipated- and was replaced by heavy, approaching footfall. Adrien’s gaze flickered past Luka and then back to his face. That was all it took for his protective instincts to kick in.

Luka bolted forward and grabbed Adrien by the elbow, pulling him to his feet. The model flinched at the touch, but preoccupied himself with tucking the little Kwami into his shirt pocket. Luka surveyed the alley- the meeting point of three buildings, with two doors that opened out to a shared recycling bin. Luka chose the door with the most wear. He twisted the handle and was delighted to find it unlocked. God bless the smoke break ritual. He yanked the door open and pushed Adrien in ahead of him.

With the door shut behind him, Luka more gently took Adrien’s arm and led him through the quaint, professional kitchen. He kept an eye out for signs of life until he spotted a food pantry. He swerved and ducked them both into it, pulling it shut behind them and enveloping them in darkness.

Luka’s hand fumbled along the wall until he found a light switch. Sure enough the pantry had food on floor to ceiling shelves along three walls. Adrien stared down at his feet, one hand covering his shirt pocket protectively, a tumultuous look clouding his features. Luka took a second to himself to take in how battered and bruised the other was, and decide how best to approach his friend. The cacophony out on the street continued.

After struggling with what to say, he took a steadying breath and spoke.

“Will you be able to transform again? Is there something here he can eat?”

Adrien gave a start and met his gaze. “I… Yes?” He swallowed as his eyes darted around Luka’s face. “Yes.”

Luka nodded. He wanted to say more. He wanted to reassure Adrien and ask questions, or just. Be there for him, more than just crowding his space in the tight little pantry.

But now wasn’t the time. The tremor in the floor kept him acutely aware of that. 

So instead, Luka zipped up his jacket and turned up his hood. He busied himself stuffing apples and small canned goods into his pockets. Doing something with his hands helped him keep track of his words.

“I’ll draw him off. And I’ll try to be careful. But I’ll feel a lot better when Chat Noir is back out there. So. Get him-” he stopped to point at Adrien’s shirt pocket, a can in hand, “-whatever he needs and then…” Luka swallowed. “Then come save me.”

He leaned back into the door and grabbed the handle. Adrien pressed forward to protest, but Luka held up a hand severely. 

“Not a second sooner, got it?”

Adrien pursed his lips as if to bite his tongue, grimacing. Luka tried to offer an encouraging smile, but wasn’t confident he managed it as he committed Adrien’s face to memory and pushed his way out of the pantry.

The cafe was empty, which made it easier. Luka made sure his hood was pulled up over his face, obscuring his features. He gripped a small can of water chestnuts in his hoodie pocket as he snuck a look out of one of the street-facing windows. The akuma, sure enough, was crouched down at the front of the alley, peeking into it like a keyhole. Luka swallowed his anxiety and pushed the door carefully open. 

It wasn’t until he had crept up on the akuma and chucked the can full force at it’s eye that Luka let himself admit how stupid his idea was. An awful idea, even. As he ran full tilt from the screeching stomping giant, he couldn’t help but be morbidly pleased that his plan was working, and acutely aware of how little brain power he had used to make it. Maybe there was a correlation there.

He had already been out jogging the streets of Paris helping people for probably forty-five minutes before he had put himself in the direct line of fire. His lungs burned as he sprinted, dodging and weaving through side streets, stopping to hurl a fruit or a can at the Akuma any time it lost sight of him. Maybe it wasn’t the most heroic approach but if he could keep it off of Chat Noir’s trail, he could die knowing he did well.

And he very well might die, he realized, the moment he tripped over some stray debris and time slowed to a crawl. He gasped when he hit the ground and rolled, looking back up at the 5-story Akuma only three or four monstrous steps away.

Luka had lived an alright life, he thought. He had a wonderful little family who accepted him for exactly who he was. He had made some incredible friends over the last few years. Twenty-one was a bit younger than he had hoped. The akuma reeled back as it raised it’s foot over him. He wasn’t even sure he was scared, distracted in his mind by frost-grey eyes and a soft, nervous smile--

But the akuma never stopped reeling. He wondered how long it would build up the tension before grinding him into the concrete when it tumbled backward and hit the ground, splintering the pavement. Luka felt his heart give a fresh start at a rabbit-fast pace as a familiar voice echoed through the air. 

“Talk about a tantrum! Why don’t I teach you some manners?”

Ladybug slid to a full stop on the ground next to Luka, leaning over him with concern in her bluebell eyes.

“Are you alright?” She whispered. Luka felt himself nodding before he made the conscious decision to, and the relief on her face reminded him to breathe. She ticked her head toward the canal, a row of residential homes. “Come on. Let me get you to safety. I’ll take it from here.”

Luka’s hands went instantly to her shoulders, and she crooked an elbow around his waist. With her yoyo she hooked a light post, leaned back and then pulled, launching them past the flailing akuma at a breakneck speed. Within seconds, Ladybug had gotten them across the canal, easily 100 yards, and ducked over a rooftop with him.

His legs felt like jelly and his ankle throbbed, and Luka realized that even if she had asked him to run he wouldn’t have been able to. Her concerned look returned as she settled him back against the shingles, a hand coming up to his shoulder.

“That was incredibly reckless of you. I’m gonna need you to stay out of sight and let us take it from here, okay?”

Luka opened his mouth to respond, but a voice in the canal pulled the attention of them both. 

“Now you know how I feel!”

Luka pulled himself up to peak over the rooftop, Ladybug mirroring the motion. Chat Noir burst from a rooftop and brought his baton down on a thrashing arm. The akuma pushed and launched him backward but he landed with grace and readied again.

It was subtle, but Luka caught Ladybug’s quiet relieved sigh and turned back on Luka, renewed. “Stay here, okay? We’ll be back for you as soon as we get this big guy under control!”

She was off before Luka could have answered, even if he had found the words. Ducked behind the crest of the roof, he watched Ladybug and Chat Noir fall into sync with each other, covering each other’s weaknesses, fighting in tandem. It was mesmerising, the way they weaved over and around each other, splitting the akuma’s attention, defense and offense. Yin and yang.

At last Chat Noir managed to separate the microphone from the wailing giant, and with a mighty swing, Ladybug snapped against the concrete of the bridge. Chat Noir knelt forward, braced on his knees and clutching his side again as purple hate oozed out of the akuma and left an average-sized elementary student in its wake. 

With a shout and a throw, Ladybug set the city right, and a wave of red and black washed over Luka and took his pain away with it. He rolled his ankle just to check- all better. Still winded though. He let himself lean against the rooftop, tension leaving him but the exhaustion remaining.

He had almost 10 seconds of peace and quiet before the hair on the back of his neck prickled again. He looked up before he heard the voice-

“Luka!”

Chat Noir hit the roof and rolled, catching himself right in Luka’s space, raising a hand to hover uncertainty over his arm. Worry and alarm was written all over his face, not the slightest bit obscured by the mask.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt?” Chat asked in a rush of words. Now that he knew to listen for it, Luka could hear the shadow of Adrien Agreste underneath.

He wanted to be reassuring, but instead just nodded with his head against the rooftop, letting out a worn sigh. Chat opened his mouth again but bit off his words when a daintier set of feet hit the rooftop.

“Chat! You scared me, bolting like that!”

Chat looked up to her and the panic in his eyes amplified. Ladybug held the kid with her in her arms, and met his panic with confusion. 

“I just…” He struggled with the words, wincing up at his lady. Luka watched him fight for the right thing to say. “He saved me, Ladybug. I would have been squashed without his help.”

Ladybug put a comforting hand on Chat’s shoulder and then turned on a very pink Luka, brow pinched. “Is that why you were leading the akuma, Luka? To keep Chat Noir safe?”

To keep Adrien safe, Luka thought, his head spinning. Two sets of eyes were on him, one soft and compassionate, the other alarmed and pleading. He pursed his lips to keep any tumbling words inside and nodded, pointedly keeping his eyes on Ladybug’s. The heroine smiled and squeezed his shoulder gently.

“Thank you… For taking care of my partner. I’m sorry I wasn’t there sooner. But you need to be more careful!” The tone in her voice dipped into petulant, just a hint underneath the warrior’s lilt. “In the future, just… try to keep yourself safe too, okay? Chat Noir can take a beating. You can’t.”

Luka nodded, pointedly ignoring Chat’s gutted expression, which he quickly covered when Ladybug turned back to him.

“I’ve got to get Thomas home,” she said, smiling at the exhausted boy leaning on her shoulder. “Will you two be alright?”

Luka nodded again as Chat Noir responded.

“I’ll make sure he gets home safely.”

Ladybug nodded in affirmation, looking out over the darkening city. “Good. You get home safe too, okay, Kitty?” She threw them a wink before hurling her yoyo deeper into the residential district. 

“Bug out!” And then she was gone, swinging away between the rooftops. 

The boys sat side by side, quiet, tense. Luka glanced up at Chat Noir. He watched Ladybug until she was out of sight, his gaze distant and tight.

Luka let the silence settle between them until Chat Noir offered a hand. Luka took it and stood, barely a head taller than the hero. He looped his arms instinctively around Chat’s neck, and felt a clawed hand hook around his side. The fingers twitched and Chat didn’t meet his eyes before he extended his baton and sent them soaring over the canal.


	2. Nobody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir and Luka have to talk.

By the time they reached The Liberty, it was pitch black. Chat Noir touched down and nestled his baton against the small of his back, letting his grip loosen. Luka’s arms detached from the hero’s neck, and the two took a hesitant step back from each other.

Chat hadn’t looked at him the entire trek home. Luka had tried to give him time to himself- as much as you could clinging to someone 50 feet off the ground- but it made him anxious wondering what ran through the poor boy’s mind. Now they stood face to face, Chat Noir staring at the ground between them, leather ears drooped. Luka opted for patience, focusing on taking even breaths as he waited for Chat to reach a decision.

Finally, Chat Noir took a significant breath, his brows pinched.

“We-” It was like his own voice startled him, the way he paused. “... We need to talk.”

Luka nodded and half turned for the boat, gesturing toward the deck.

“Come inside.”

That made Chat look at him. He blinked.

“But… your sister?”

“She’s at Rose’s tonight.”

“Your mom?”

Luka couldn’t resist a snort and a taunting smirk. “Are you telling me Chat Noir can’t sneak past one sleeping old woman unnoticed?”

Chat jolted at the playful comment, baffled, and then relaxed as he put on airs of his own. 

“Well when you put it that way,” He played along, straightening his posture before gesturing a sweeping arm toward the boat. “Allow me to prove my skills.”

Luka stifled another laugh and made a show of tiptoeing onto the boat, across the deck to the cabin doors.

The deck below was in disarray as always. Anarka could be heard snoring in her bunk toward the bow of the ship. Through the small common area and kitchen, Luka carefully stepped over boxes, clothes and abandoned books. He opened the door to his room quietly before turning to see if Chat had followed.

From the steep stairs to the upper deck, Chat Noir made a show of vaulting around the debris, careful to avoid any shelves or walls, and then slid languidly past Luka into the awaiting bedroom. Luka shook his head at the antics and shut the door softly behind him.

“You’re hilarious,” he deadpanned at a normal volume. “The Capitaine sleeps like the dead. I’m not sure you could wake her up if you tried.”

But Chat Noir had already tuned him out, dropping his facade and scratching his claws frantically through his hair. 

“I can’t believe I let this happen!” He groaned, pacing the 10 feet of the room as he did. “You could have been hurt or killed or worse-- And now you know! You know!”

Luka raised a hand but couldn’t get in before Chat kept going, throwing his hands in the air and looking at Luka pleadingly. “You’re a civilian! I’ve got the experience! I’m supposed to protect you!”

Luka winced, grasping for anything that would help calm the hero. Unsure, he said the first thing that came to mind. 

“I mean. I have a little experience.”

Chat opened and closed his mouth a few times before Luka saw the memory cross his face, which pinked instantly. With a groan, Chat threw himself down back on the bed. Luka carefully sat down next to him. Breath in, breath out. He didn’t know if it would help or hurt, but he might as well say something, right? Luka swallowed, and tried for honesty and compassion.

”I.. I kind of suspected already.” 

Chat stiffened. “You WHAT?” 

Luka tried to find the words to explain and cleared his throat. 

“It’s your heart song. Chat’s and Adrien’s, I mean, they sound the same. I couldn’t be sure, but… the melody when you’re Chat Noir is just... louder. Brighter.” 

Chat tried to take it all in. Luka waited, watching him. This muted distress was much more like the Adrien he knew underneath the leather. Knowing for sure that they were one in the same, he couldn’t help but wonder if Adrien was the real mask- all of his emotions and exchanges as a civilian seemed genuine, but measured. Adrien Agreste would never be caught melting down.

Finally Chat turned to him again with defeat in his eyes.

“You’ve held a miraculous, Luka. Ladybug gave you the speech. You know that nobody can know our identities.”

Luka leaned back against the wall and shrugged. “I can be nobody.”

Chat snorted, but stilled when Luka looked away. The hero sat up in an instant and bumped their knees together. “Whoa, hey.”

The hero bent forward to meet Luka’s eyes. Luka held his gaze as he spoke, green cat eyes sharp. 

“You are NOT nobody.” A gloved hand covered Luka’s pale one. “Or if you are, then I am too.”

Now it was Luka’s turn to snort. “You’re Chat Noir.”

“And you’re Viperion. More than that-” The hand over Luka’s squeezed. “You’re my friend.”

There was a glimmer of solace underneath Chat’s slumped shoulders, and Luka wondered if it was relief. Maybe his words were to comfort both of them. Maybe it was a thank you for earlier that day, the madness that set this all in motion. Luka let himself take in the hero’s features up close- wild feathered hair, the texture of his mask, the eerie slit pupils underneath it. The feel of a leather hand over top his own. 

After what could have been minutes, Chat Noir broke the peace with a sigh, moving time forward again. 

“My Kwami, Plagg... He’s not going to like this.” 

Luka winced and shrugged. “Might as well rip off the band-aid.” 

Chat Noir took a breath and blew it out, looked at Luka for support before he mumbled: 

“Plagg, claws in.”

In a flash of eerie black light, the costume disappeared and Plagg zipped out, already groaning. 

“Ladybug is going to KILL you, kid!” The Kwami moaned, flopping back on the bed much like Chat Noir had.

Except now it was Adrien Agreste sitting on Luka’s bed where the superhero had been. Luka knew, sure, but seeing him change back for the second time, it started to sink in. It really was him. Without thinking, he reached up and touched where the mask had been seconds before. 

Adrien flinched at the touch. Startled, Luka began to apologize, drawing back- what was he thinking, touching him so suddenly, they had never been this kind of casual- but the model’s hand shot up and held Luka’s in place. Luka stilled, and after a beat, let his palm press gently against skin. Time stilled again, just for a moment. Luka brushed his thumb against Adrien’s cheek. The green eyes above it fluttered.

”If you think I’d give you up, I’ll go to Ladybug myself. But… I won’t. I wouldn’t.” He tried to keep the new tension out of his hands. “Paris can’t lose you because of me.”

Adrien’s eyes softened. 

A flash of black shot up between them and Plagg floated right in Adrien’s face. Luka blinked, not familiar with Plagg the way he had been with Sass. 

“Yeah, kid, he already knows. Damage done. No need to tell the Bug!”

With a sigh, Adrien squeezed the hand on his cheek and his attention shifted back to Luka. “I can’t lie to Ladybug. She’s my partner. I have to tell her what happened. She has to know that you know.”

Luka swallowed the information and nodded. 

“I trust you.” 

Adrien gave a start. Luka smiled reassuringly before pulling his hand back to stifle a yawn. Between Plagg and the finality of his admission, the change of pace shook Adrien loose of the tension, and he looked at the clock above the bed. 

“Oh wow. It’s late, huh? I should get home before Nathalie finds me missing.”

The blond stood, and Luka called out as his friend reached the door. 

“Wait. You should transform again, since you came in as Chat. Just in case.”

Plagg looked him over with an appraising nod. “You might be alright at this hero stuff, ya know that, Scales?”

Scales? Luka snorted at the little creature, trying to remind himself that it was some sort of God and maybe he should wait til their second or third meeting to banter back.

Adrien blinked, cheeks flushed. “Oh. Right. I guess that’s… It’s been a long day.”

Luka laughed softly. “You’re telling me.”

Adrien whispered a ‘Plagg, claws out,’ and just like that, Chat Noir was perched with his hand on the door. He seemed ready to push and head out, but stopped one last time and turned back. “I’ll get a message to Ladybug that we need to meet. I’ll let you know when. We’ll go together. If you’re up for it.”

Luka nodded, stern and serious. With that, Chat Noir disappeared out the door with a wink, leaving Luka to fall back on his bed and stare at the ceiling. The guitarist ran his hands through his hair and puffed out a long breath.

“Alright,” he said again, this time to no one.

Marinette made it home later than usual.

She had called her parents to let them know she was safe shortly after Ladybug reset the damage, so she knew that they were safe in bed as she locked the door behind her. It wasn’t a habit, coming in this late through the front door. Usually her balcony was the best bet after a long day. She snagged a few cookies from the bakery before making her way up to her bedroom.

Safely inside, Tikki zipped out of her purse and flopped down on the pillow with a sigh. Marinette giggled, offering her one of the cookies. 

“Thanks for all your hard work, Tikki,” she said sweetly. The little red Kwami took a nibble out of the cookie and hummed happily before responding.

“You’re giving me far too much credit, Marinette,” Tikki chimed pleasantly. “Without you and Chat Noir, Plagg and I would be useless!”

“Speak for yourself, Sugarcube.”

Marinette turned on her heel with a yelp, face to face with the little black Kwami in her windowsill. “Plagg!”

Plagg grinned and waved a teasing flipper. 

“Oh, Plagg!” Tikki huffed. “What are you doing here? Is your holder okay?”

Plagg brushed her off nonchalantly. “He’s fine, but he does need to meet. He has something important to talk to you about.” He floated down to Marinette, eye to eye. “Tomorrow night, late, on the Eiffel Tower.”

Marinette huffed, mirroring Tikki. “Seriously? We couldn’t have talked before?”

Plagg shrugged and turned, heading back for the window. “Hey, I’m just the messenger. You can be there or not.”

“Plagg, wait!”

Plagg stopped, and turned to look back at Marinette. Her brows were pinched.

“Should I be worried?”

Plagg snickered. “That’s up to you.” And then he disappeared through the glass and into the warm night.


	3. And Then He Waited

For the first time in years, Luka found himself longing for a classroom.

He had graduated a couple years prior, and for the most part he loved his more flexible schedule- a part time job he loved that he could work around an ever changing show schedule. He had inherited his Mother’s free spirit and loved spending his time out on his own, exploring the city, playing music, relaxing.

Usually.

After a night of restless sleep and the startling events from the day before, he had ended up in his favorite park with his guitar, but his heart was elsewhere. He would have preferred to be at work, doing something to keep his mind occupied. Without a clear path to follow, he continued to play through the scenarios in his head.

How would Ladybug react? Would he have to leave Paris? How else could he keep Chat’s identity safe? Would he beg his mother and Juleka to come with him, or would he have to leave them behind? Were they in danger too, because he knew? Luka picked absently at the strings and tried in vain to focus on his guitar.

His phone itched in his pocket, but he didn’t really want to text Adrien. He didn’t want to push, or overwhelm the boy, or distract him during class. He had no idea what he would even say, anyway. So instead, he strummed his guitar aimlessly, trying to sort out his agitation while he soaked up the sun. There were only two other things that soothed him the way sunlight could.

“Luka?”

As if on cue, Marinette was standing before him in the park, concern etched into her features. Luka felt for a moment as though he had summoned her, the way she seemed to appear out of thin air- then again, he had come to love this park for a couple reasons. He strummed a brighter chord as she sat down beside him on the bench.

“Hey, Marinette.”

“I was just heading back to class after lunch when I saw you, and...” Her attention turned to his hands, and her brows pinched tighter as she looked back up at his face. “Are you okay? Your song today seems… uncertain.”

Luka couldn’t help but love how she had learned his language over the years, the one he communicated most comfortably in, and knew just how to reach out to him through it. He strummed a few chords, admitting his worries and woes through the music, comforted knowing that she was really listening. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her expression relax but not lift. After a few bars between them, she opened her eyes and looked up at him again. 

“Anything I can help with?”

This girl. He had been doomed from the start. He smiled and shook his head, shrugging, letting some of the uncertainty in his shoulders melt away. “I wish. This is just something that’s up in the air for now.”

She nodded, and her expression grew distant. He hated the thought that his turmoil might dampen her melody, especially on such a lovely day. His fingers strummed a hopeful riff before he really even thought about it.

“But that is just like you, Ma-Ma-Marinette,” he continued, offering a crooked smile when her gaze returned to him. “Wanting to help if you can. Thank you for offering.”

She laughed as the melody he plucked turned playful, and shoulder checked him gently. “If there’s anything I can do, please tell me, okay?”

Luka stood, turned, and offered a hand down to her. “How about letting me walk you back to class?”

Marinette chuckled again and took the hand with a smile. He secured his guitar to his back and they started on their way.

“So you’re off work today?”

“Yes, my slave masters didn’t need me again until tomorrow.”

Marinette gave a hearty laugh, and Luka felt some of the tension in his chest continue to loosen.

“Is that right?” She teased, tapping her chin. “They must be preparing to really put you to the test.”

Luka heaved an exaggerated, put upon sigh. “They’ll work me to the bone, Marinette, I can see it now. ‘Vagrant musician dies of overwork.’ It’ll be in all the papers.”

“Oh I’m sure.” Marinette snorted, and hooked her elbow with his. “Are you what passes for a vagrant these days? I would easily call The Liberty ‘settled.’ ”

“Don’t let my Mom hear you say that, I’m not ready for another voyage of discovery.”

Marinette laughed again, and Luka found himself chuckling with her. Their friendship had blossomed over the years, and his fondness for her grew every day. It was a salve, her presence, and a part of him wanted to break down and tell her everything. Same as he always did. But there it was- the thing he hadn’t let himself consider: Having to leave Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Disappearing into the night, never hearing her heart song again. He had to remind himself in the moment to breathe.

She seemed to sense it, too, letting their small talk drop.

“Are you sure you’re okay? Did something happen?”

Luka shook off the thoughts and rested a gentle hand on her head. She hardly came up to his shoulders now. “I’ll be okay. It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

“I worry about you, Luka.”

He blinked down at her and she seemed to fluster under his gaze, taking her arm back from his to twiddle her thumbs. 

“I-I’m not trying to push. I just. I’m--”

“Marinette.”

She rolled to a stop and he stepped in front of her, bending down to her eye level and gripping both of her shoulders carefully. Her frosty eyes held his sky blues, and her sincerity was warmer than the sun could ever hope to be.

“Just knowing you worry about me has made me feel ten times better. I can get lost in my head sometimes. Thank you for reaching in after me.”

That sincere smile graced her features again, and she pressed forward until her arms were around his middle and his had folded around her in return.

“I’m here if you decide you want to talk about it, okay? I love you.”

He knew what she meant, but it never stopped his heart from leaping into his throat. He smiled against the crown of her head and left a quick kiss there.

“I love you, too,” He gave a little squeeze, and then grinned when she pulled back and beamed up at him. “And you’ll be the first to know.”

It only took them about five more minutes to reach campus, and as they said their goodbyes at the stairs, Marinette’s gaze drifted over Luka’s shoulder, and she lit up with a wave. Luka’s stomach rolled- that was a smile saved for one person. When he turned, Adrien was waving back as he got out of his car.

Their eyes met, green and blue, and there was an instant of terror in Luka before Adrien trotted right up to them.

“Luka! What are you doing here?” He spoke with the same warm honey as always, not an ounce of uncertainty in his tone. Luka wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or alarmed. He did his best to recover.

“Just ran into Marinette and thought I’d walk her back. I trust you can take it from here?” He teased. Marinette’s cheeks pinked and she elbowed Luka with a laugh. He knew that Marinette had grown leaps and bounds from her childhood crush on Adrien- she genuinely cared about him, as a friend, as a person, from the bottom of her heart. Still, he couldn’t resist the chance to bring some fresh color to her cheeks. Call it a guilty pleasure, but she was astonishingly cute when flustered.

Adrien, true to form, gave an enthusiastic nod. 

“Of course! Our next class is together anyhow.” He flashed a bright smile down at Marinette, and she mirrored the action with a polite laugh. 

Marinette leaned in for one last hug (pinching Luka’s side and mumbling a threat against his shoulder to his amusement), and then to Luka’s surprise, Adrien opened his arms wide to invite the same. The two had a silent conversation before Luka relaxed into a laugh, raising his hands in response and getting an armful of blond model. 

“I’ll come for you tonight.”

The words were whispered, almost conspiratorially, and when Adrien leaned back, you would never know it from the professional geniality in his face. He turned, offering an arm to Marinette who took it instantly, and waved over his shoulder.

“Good seeing you, Luka! Let’s hang out soon, okay?” He cast another brilliant smile down to Marinette, who offered one right back and let herself tighten her hold on Adrien’s welcoming arm.

Luka watched them go and then remembered to swallow, hyper aware of how heavy his mouth felt and the new spin in his head. He reached up and fiddled with one of his earrings, trying to convince himself to stop watching as they ascended the stairs and disappeared into the school.

Tonight. Perfect. So he only had to think about it for… probably 10 more hours. He heaved a sigh and turned to take the long way home. 

His thoughts drifted to how each of them had felt closed up in his arms, and he idly wondered what kind of rabbit hole he had fallen into.


	4. The Truth

It was a clear night, with a hint of a chill despite the late spring weather. The magic of the suit and his own anxiety kept Chat Noir warm as he paced a rooftop on the edge of the canal. Below he could see the Liberty, docked and rocking ever so slightly on the water. He chewed his lip and hesitated, but ultimately resumed his pacing.

It was 11:30 now. The majority of Paris had gone to sleep, and he was confident he would blend into the dark sky when he dropped down to the boat. That wasn’t what kept him counting the minutes. No, in this case, Chat Noir was pacing solely for fear of the unknown- much as he had been for most of the day.

One way or the next, Ladybug would know within the hour that he had been caught. He knew it was for the best, but the consequences terrified him. He had worked through the worst case scenario a few times, and still had trouble deciding what the best case scenario would even look like. If she, somehow, miraculously, didn’t tear him to pieces the instant he told her, he had prepared some alternative options to try and quell her fury. Or worse- her disappointment. Chat stopped in his tracks and had to remember to breathe. 

Plan A was simple enough- Luka knew. Keep him safe. End of story. ‘Just one is fine,’ he unrealistically imagined her saying, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, understanding, just happy he trusted her with the truth. Chat snorted and ruffled his hair. Right. No way that would happen.

Plan B was maybe a long shot, and he didn’t love it, but he didn’t hate it either- convince Ladybug to bring back Viperion, permanently. They couldn’t protect him all the time, but he could protect himself. Carapace had been full time active for a couple years, and maybe the turtle would appreciate a partner for the B Team. The only reason he didn’t like it was because there was no way Ladybug would go for it. Carapace had a good reason to keep his Miraculous. Luka, less so. Maybe Luka wouldn’t even want to be a hero.

And then there was Plan C. Chat turned to the houseboat and took a steadying breath in. He hated Plan C. It twisted his guts, thinking about giving up Plagg and trusting someone else to protect his Lady, his city. But Luka shouldn’t have to suffer for the crime of saving the hero’s hide.

If someone had to, Chat would take the fall. Every time.

Chat clenched his jaw and then released the tension, bouncing a few times on his toes before taking a running leap for the houseboat.

He hit the bow with a surprisingly light footfall, and languidly vaulted to the upper deck at the stern. He had always adored the grace with which the miraculous allowed him to move. All the poise of a gymnast with none of the training- well, he had added it to his workout routine in recent years, but in the suit it came as naturally as breathing. He wheeled onto his hands and swung over the side of the ship, hanging just outside of the back bedroom porthole.

Sure enough, before he could even rap his knuckles on it, it popped open, and a tense Luka peered out. Chat tried his best at a cattish grin.

“Good evening, Monsieur. Would you be interested in buying some superhero cookies? It supports a great cause.” 

Luka snorted despite himself. “Get in here.”

The older took a step back, and Chat pushed off the wall to swing in feet first.

When he straightened up and took Luka in, he found his friend was dressed down for his usual; black athletic pants and his denim jacket disregarded for the simple black hoodie usually underneath, zipped with the hood up. He didn’t realize he was unabashedly appraising Luka until the man shrugged.

“I thought maybe I should look a little less like myself,” he explained, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. “You probably shouldn’t be seen with me if you can help it. Right?”

Chat hadn’t even thought of that. Maybe he should have come as Adrien? Maybe Luka was more cut out for Plan B than he had thought. He shook his head and gave Luka a thumbs up. “Good thinking. Let’s get going- I’d rather be early than late.”

They set out, keeping to the streets until further from the boat, and then took to the rooftops.

It was a quiet trip. When they reached the top of the Eiffel Tower, they ducked down behind the elevator. Chat checked his baton, sliding it up to see the screen before snapping it shut and settling in beside Luka on the ground. 

“Twenty minutes early. Perfect. We probably have ten before she gets here.”

Luka swallowed, eyeing him sideways before looking back out at the canal.

“So. What’s the plan?” he finally asked. It sounded as if he had to drag the question out of himself. Chat sighed, letting his shoulders drop.

“I’ve. Got a couple ideas. But I honestly have no idea how she’ll take it.” Chat fiddled with the bell on his collar, gently enough that it didn’t jingle as he rocked it. “We’ve been at this for almost four years, but. This is a first. Y’know?”

Luka didn’t respond, but his mouth hardened instantly. Chat hurt for him, wishing he had a more encouraging answer.

“No matter what happens, we’ll still be friends, Luka. I’m not going anywhere.”

“What if you have to?”

Chat’s heart squeezed, and Luka’s eyes were on him again, carefully neutral. It was something he hadn’t let himself think about too much; Plan C. The one where he leaves. The one where he has to disappear.

He was eighteen now, starting university. In the last 5 years, he had made wonderful friends, grown tremendously as a person. It wasn’t just Chat Noir who would disappear; what if Adrien had to leave everything behind, too? Who would he be, without Plagg? Without the people he loved?

His hand got warmer, and he found that Luka had reached out and covered it. Black painted nails bracketed his clawed glove. He watched the hand over his tense and squeeze before looking back up at Luka’s crooked smile.

It was weak and unsure, but it was genuine, and that was enough. Chat closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the wall.

“If anyone was going to see me, I’m glad it was you,” Chat said. He felt the hand over his own tense, and he tilted his head to watch Luka’s expression. At the wide eyes, he couldn’t help but tease: “Maybe it was fate? Maybe it was always meant to be you.”

“And if it was?”

Luka twisted toward him, putting weight on their hands to bring himself eye to eye with Chat, leaning over him. There was a ghost of a glimmer in his eye, and it was Chat’s turn to flush, aware of his trapped hand fidgeting, the noise of surprise from his own mouth. This was new.

“I, uh-”

Luka barked a soft laugh before he could say anything, and his expression melted away to amusement.

“Wow. You really are him under there, huh?” He goaded. 

Chat blinked, and then laughed, shoving Luka. The blue haired boy shook with a stifled chuckle as he settled back against the wall, facade dropping.

“Dork,” Chat snickered, but stopped short when his ears quirked to a sound in the distance. He held a hand up to Luka, who sobered instantly.

The zip of a yoyo came into earshot, and a thump around the corner shot right to Chat’s heart.

“Chat? Are you here?”

Chat flipped his hand to squeeze Luka’s. Then he stood, took a steadying breath, and strode around the corner to face her.

“Punctual as always, Milady.”

Ladybug crossed her arms. She had filled out in their years fighting crime together, and her costume had changed ever so slightly as she did; She was still slender, but with a muscle definition she lacked when they were kids. A black high collar detail and new paneling broke up her signature red and black pattern, mirroring some of his own details more closely, and the maturity played beautifully with the low pigtails she still wore her hair in. 

Her scrutiny, much like her fighting skills, was as sharp as ever.

“It’s not often that you send Plagg to arrange a meeting. What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

Chat’s face fell, and her arms dropped with it. He could feel her keen eye tracking little familiar cues: his clenching hands, shifting his weight, the way his leather ears dropped against his golden locks. He considered keeping it light, going for playful, but one glance at her unimpressed face and he trashed that idea. Instead he squared his shoulders and spoke clearly.

“Okay, look, so the akuma attack… Something happened and you need to know. We need to talk about it.”

Ladybug straightened, matching his energy, but her expression stayed cloudy. If anything, it tilted toward suspicion. This was the part he hated- it felt like talking to his father, waiting to be turned away, reprimanded. He felt like a failure already, and his posture slumped as he began to pace.

“I. So before you got there. I was trying to lead the kid-- the akuma-- away from his Mom, and I guess I made him angrier than I meant to, and-” He could feel himself rambling and scratched at his neck, but continued to pace between glances at Ladybug. “-I wore myself out too soon and--”

“C’mon, Kitty, spit it out,” Ladybug interjected, looking concerned. “What happened?”

Chat stopped in his tracks, and rubbed his arm, turning toward her. He hoped he didn’t look as pathetic as he felt. “... I fell. I dropped my transformation in the middle of the fight. And… someone saw me.”

Ladybug’s hand flew to her mouth, but her gasp still hit him like a train. He flinched when she spoke, crossing the few feet between them to grip his arms. 

“Are you serious? This is a major problem! Were you out in the open? Are you absolutely sure they saw you detransform?”

Interrogation mode overwhelmed him immediately, and he held up his hands in defense. Ladybug seemed to snap out of her frenzy and released him like she’d been bitten, taking a respectful step out of his space. He extended the gap between them, taking another step back and searching her face. It was… hard to read. But he was confident in what to do next. The hero turned over his shoulder, back toward the elevator.

“Come on out.”

Ladybug’s alarm shot through the roof as Luka stood and shuffled out from around the corner. Chat saw a flurry of new panic cross her face, edged by a flash of pain.

“Luka.”

Luka winced and offered an apologetic smile and wave. “Hello. Thanks again for saving me the other day and, um, sorry for all this.”

Ladybug rounded on Chat, panic renewed and face paling. “Chat, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I-I wanted to, but Thomas was there, a-and I wasn’t sure what--”

“You should have told me right away, Chat, this is serious!”

Luka stepped closer, raising a hand and ducking toward them to intercede. “He was ready to tell you the day of, Ladybug, but by the time he got me home it was so late.” Watching Luka speak clearly and calmly eased Chat’s nerves, and some of the fog in his head cleared. His heart ached as Luka continued, looking down between them. “I’m sorry. I know you aren’t.. That you can’t… I’m sorry.”

Ladybug pursed her lips and reeled it back in, straightening once more. Chat took the instance to ground himself while Ladybug put equal space between herself, Chat and Luka. The heroine pinched the bridge of her nose between two fingers.

“Chat…” she started, voice laced with worry. “No one can know our identities. You know that.” Chat Noir nodded solemnly, his whole body drooping under her disappointment. Ladybug looked up from her hand. “Does he… Did he recognize you?”

Chat Noir was already nodding before Luka chimed in helpfully, “You can’t know that.”

Ladybug gasped again and slapped her hand over her mouth as both heroes flushed from ear to ear. Chat groaned to himself. Of course she couldn’t know that, that was practically a hint! Luka bit down on his lip, and Chat wondered if he was trying not to laugh or wishing he hadn’t said anything. Still, it was almost a comfort, seeing Ladybug rosy in the cheeks.

Chat took the opportunity in Ladybug’s stunned silence and stepped forward, arms open, putting himself between her and Luka.

“I know. I know how bad this is. But before you got there, Luka saved me. He drew the akuma off while I had time to recover. He didn’t even hesitate, Bugaboo, you should have seen him.”

Ladybug faltered. “Chat, he’s a civilian.”

“A civilian who knows already. He knows, Milady.” Chat swallowed, searching her eyes for understanding. “And I trust him with it. I wouldn’t have brought him here if I didn’t.”

Luka stood stock still, trapped in limbo while Ladybug struggled with herself. There was a tug of war clear in her swimming blue eyes, and he couldn’t stand to watch the two of them struggle. Both heroes rounded on him in surprise when he spoke, stepping toward Ladybug. 

“I am sorry. When I saw Chat Noir go down, I ran to him without thinking. He was in a secluded place, he didn’t see me until it was too late. I..” Chat watched him catch his own words and change gears, expression serious. His throat tightened watching Viperion practically burst out of Luka. “I would do it again. I would do it every time. Whatever you guys need me to do to keep you safe, I’ll do it. If I have to leave, I will. But you need to know- I’m bound to him now, for better or worse. And I cannot be the reason Paris loses Chat Noir.”

Ladybug took in every word, pain clear in her face. Luka took a breath and said his final peace:

“You asked me years ago if you could trust me. Let me prove it to you now.”

Chat watched her hesitate and held his breath. Then she stepped forward and took Luka’s hand in both of hers. Luka looked as surprised as Chat felt when she sighed and offered him a tired, compassionate smile.

“Okay, Luka. I. I trust you.”

Luka’s heart jumped as Chat Noir slumped in visible relief. Ladybug turned from Luka and scratched under Chat Noir’s chin, earning a comical trill from the broader hero.

”Thank you for being honest with me, Chat Noir. I know it was hard.” 

“It is the easiest thing in the world to trust my Lady.” 

Ladybug let a giggle slip before recomposing herself. 

“I think… I need a few days to figure out what to do from here. For now, just… exercise caution, okay? We’ll keep an ear to the ground and make sure Luka hasn’t become a target, that no one else knows he knows.” 

Chat Noir snapped to attention with a salute. Luka nodded, looking like he may have aged ten years in the last ten minutes. Ladybug smiled and sighed, looking between the two as relief and weariness caught up to her as well. 

“Good boys. Get home safe. I’ll see you again soon, Luka.”

She gave Chat Noir’s hair a playful tug before she turned tail and took a running leap off the tower, throwing her yo-yo as she went. Chat Noir hummed happily, taking the comforting gesture and holding onto it until well after she was out of sight. Only then did a thump behind him draw his attention again.

Luka had slumped to the ground, knees buckled under him. His arms were visibly trembling- Luka looked up at the now alarmed Chat Noir and offered what he hoped was a comforting, if nervous laugh. 

“Well, that. Went well. I think. Mind giving me a ride home?”

Chat wasn’t sure if his friend was overwhelmed or relieved, but either way, he was pretty sure he could relate. He tried to focus on the victory as he pulled Luka to his feet, and didn’t mind at all when the civilian laughed inordinately hard at his jokes on their way back to the boat.

**Author's Note:**

> I will be posting at least the first three chapters in a cluster, but I've got quite a bit in the works. Let me know what you think, and thank you again for stopping by.


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